Watching Point 260

260 — WATCH lest you accept mortal mind’s conception of attainment, and believe that an understanding of Christian Science is something that can be attained by study alone. Science and Health says that we walk in the direction toward which we look. We have to study in order to learn what the right direction is, but demonstration alone will enable us to walk in it, a demonstration that handles the mesmerism of lethargy and inactivity.

Mrs. Eddy spent time in endeavoring to awaken her students mentally, and to keep them awake. This would not have been necessary, had the attainment of understanding been a matter merely of study. It is not enough to sit and study Science and Health. One is under the necessity of freeing himself from mesmerism, since mortal mind operates as a hypnotist, who takes his victim out of his normal state of mind and replaces that with a false attitude, in which he believes that illusions are real and true. No victim of hypnotism could break the spell cast upon him, merely by studying!

This watching point is necessary to correct the prevalent belief that, when one fails to demonstrate Christian Science, it is more consecrated study that he needs. Failure to demonstrate simply means that one has not succeeded in breaking the mesmerism of mortal belief, under which one believes in the reality and truth of that which God never created.

Through the study of the textbook one can learn how to rouse himself mentally, by rising into a mental altitude that is above the mist of animal magnetism; but the usual student’s attitude of mind toward acquiring a knowledge of any subject, will never enable one to be a Christian Scientist. There are many students who have gained a profound knowledge of Mrs. Eddy’s writings, who have done very little to free themselves from the influence of animal magnetism. One must practice what he learns. He must rise above the mist of mesmerism. He must rouse himself mentally until he is thoroughly awake, and keep that way. He must learn to listen for God’s voice, and refuse to acknowledge that mortal belief in any form can rule God out of his heart.